Women Making Moves

<p><strong>Women Making Moves — Episode: Audacity and Authenticity</strong></p><p><strong>Guest:</strong> Sandhya Sudhakar — Certified Coach, Enneagram Practitioner, Speaker, Facilitator, Founder of Self At Work, and Host of the <em>Working Your Way</em> podcast.</p><p><strong>Host:</strong> Amy Pons — Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic School</p><p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong> Amy sits down with Sandhya to explore what it means to show up authentically in the workplace and in life. They discuss the courage it takes to be direct, the tension between practicality and audacious dreaming, and how to navigate discomfort in a way that leads to real growth.</p><p><strong>Key Topics Discussed:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Audacity as a guiding word</strong> — Sandhya shares why she chose "audacity" for 2026 and how she's learning to dream bigger and care less about others' perceptions.</li><li><strong>Directness vs. palatability</strong> — Both Amy and Sandhya reflect on being told to "achieve the same but be nicer," and the impossible double standard women face in the workplace.</li><li><strong>Self-abandonment and trade-offs</strong> — A nuanced conversation about when to walk away from misaligned work and when financial safety takes priority, and the long-term cost of forsaking yourself.</li><li><strong>The learning zone</strong> — Sandhya breaks down the comfort zone / learning zone / panic zone framework and how to discern good discomfort from harmful discomfort.</li><li><strong>Generational dynamics at work</strong> — How Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha each play a role in reshaping workplace culture.</li><li><strong>Enneagram in teams</strong> — How Sandhya uses the Enneagram to help high-achieving leaders diagnose team dynamics and lead more effectively.</li><li><strong>Speaking up and truth-telling</strong> — Amy shares a personal story about confronting inappropriate behavior and the backlash that followed.</li></ul><p><strong>Where to Find Sandhya:</strong></p><ul><li>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://selfatwork.com">selfatwork.com</a></li><li>Podcast: <em>Working Your Way</em> (available on YouTube and all audio platforms)</li></ul><p><strong>Where to Find Amy:</strong></p><ul><li>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org">https://unlockthemagic.org</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><strong>Closing Thought:</strong> "Having less so I could do more — simplifying, and going much bigger with fewer things." — Sandhya Sudhakar</p>

<p><strong>S7 Ep7 — Dr. Tamara Beckford</strong></p><p><strong>Women Making Moves Podcast</strong></p><p><strong>Host:</strong> Amy Pons, Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic School</p><p><strong>Guest:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford — Board-certified emergency medicine physician, bestselling author, international speaker, and founder of Truly Balanced Wellness Care</p><p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong> Amy sits down with Dr. Tamara Beckford to explore the intersection of traditional medicine, holistic healing, and the powerful journey women experience through perimenopause and menopause. They discuss reclaiming the magic of womanhood, honoring the body's natural cycles, the importance of slowing down, and building an intentional life beyond the "go, go, go" mentality.</p><p><strong>Topics Covered:</strong></p><ul><li>3:23 Perimenopause — embracing the biological experience</li><li>5:49 Slowing down &amp; the "to-feel list"</li><li>8:04 Sound baths, sacral womb healing &amp; energy work10:00Healing beyond traditional medicine &amp; the power of timeframes</li><li>14:57 Heart disease as a silent killer in women</li><li>18:26 Women pushing through pain &amp; learned endurance</li><li>21:43 Generational shame around menstruation &amp; naming your womb</li><li>25:04 Menopause as reemergence — wisdom, not decline30:00Writing your own story &amp; challenging "I have to"</li><li>33:22 Dr. Tamara's telemedicine practice &amp; expanding to 4 states</li><li>35:14 "Intentional outweighs impressive" — building a slower, richer life</li><li>41:02 What patients truly want — time, compassion, listening</li><li>44:00 Advice for finding the right care provider</li><li>47:06 Closing remarks — fierce, ferocious, and forging the next path</li></ul><p><strong>Key Quotes:</strong></p><ul><li><em>"How do you wanna feel?"</em> — Amy on replacing the to-do list with a "to-feel list"</li><li><em>"Intentional outweighs impressive every single day."</em> — Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><em>"Our body sheds, prepares, and renews for the next phase — over and over."</em> — Dr. Tamara</li></ul><p><strong>Where to Find Dr. Tamara Beckford:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><strong>Facebook:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><strong>Instagram:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><strong>TikTok:</strong> @trulybalancedwc</li></ul><p><strong>Featured In:</strong> Fox 26, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Voyage Houston, LinkedIn News, Rolling Out Magazine, Kevin MD</p><p><strong>Books:</strong> <em>Made For More</em>, <em>Made For More Too</em>, <em>Thriving After Burnout</em></p><p><strong>Practice:</strong> Truly Balanced Wellness Care — concierge telemedicine for menopausal care, hormone balancing, and weight care (serving Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and Iowa)</p><p><strong>Where to Find Amy, Women Making Moves, and Unlock the Magic: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> Amy Pons, Unlock the Magic, Magic School, Women Making Moves</li><li><strong>Website: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org">https://unlockthemagic.org</a> </li><li><strong>Instagram:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Unlock the Magic</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Women Making Moves</a></li><li><strong>TikTok:</strong> @chicagosfavewitchycoach</li></ul><p>Please leave a rating and review on your favorite platform, thank you!</p>

<p>The Future of Working Motherhood: Flexibility, Ambition, and Real Support After Maternity Leave</p><p>Amy Pons hosts Alexa Starks, maternity leave coach and founder of Executive Moms, to discuss reshaping maternity leave and return-to-work experiences and the findings from Executive Moms’ Future of Working Motherhood 2026 report. </p><p>They reflect on the need to deconstruct harmful workplace systems, the lack of support for mothers returning from leave, and how simple supports like mentorship can improve retention. </p><p>Alexa shares key data: 40% of women leave their job within a year of returning from maternity leave, yet 97% would stay if truly supported; the report also found no “ambition gap,” with mothers reporting equal or greater ambition after having kids. A major takeaway was that flexible work design (remote/hybrid/part-time) mattered more than longer leave. Alexa also previews a TED Talk in Rotterdam and the launch of Mothered Magazine.</p><p>01:09 Coaching and Paradigm Shift</p><p>03:02 Aha Moments in Corporate</p><p>05:22 Maternity Return Support Systems</p><p>06:48 Report Findings and Retention Stats</p><p>09:02 Ambition Gap Myth Debunked</p><p>11:43 Burnout and Hands On Work</p><p>13:54 Workplace Bullying and Boundaries</p><p>15:20 Surprising Data on Flexibility</p><p>16:56 Flexibility Tops Requests</p><p>17:15 Ambition And The 97 Percent</p><p>17:52 Survey Logistics And Reach</p><p>18:34 Return To Office Pushback</p><p>20:51 Why Leaders Cling To Control</p><p>22:42 TED Talk And Moving Abroad</p><p>25:04 Launching Mothered Magazine</p><p>27:04 Super Bowl Holiday Hypocrisy</p><p>28:46 Advice For The 97 And 40</p><p>31:06 Where To Find The Report</p><p>31:32 Feminine Strength Closing</p><p>Find the 2026 'Future of Working Motherhood' report along with key updates from Executive Moms <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.executivemoms.co/">here</a>, and follow Alexa on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexastarks/">LinkedIn</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/alexa.starks/">Instagram</a>. </p><p>Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/womenmakingmoves.bsky.social">Bluesky.</a> Visit Amy at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org/">Unlock the Magic</a>, and follow on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><em>Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.</em></p>

<p>What Stability Really Requires: Breana Grayson on Bipolar Disorder, Stigma, and Support at Work</p><p>Amy Pons hosts Women Making Moves and interviews writer Breana Grayson about living with bipolar disorder, what “stability really requires,” and the stigma and misunderstandings that still surround bipolar (“one of the ‘scary ones’”). </p><p>Breana explains that medication is essential for her but not sufficient; stability also involves therapy, psychiatric care, consistent sleep, exercise, diet, and enjoyable practices like writing, guitar, and “therapy based kind of yoga,” and she defines stability as moving through life without derailing relationships or work. </p><p>They discuss how menstrual cycles can affect symptoms, Breana’s use of cycle tracking and astrology to document patterns, and her diagnosis process at 25 through an intensive outpatient program after work and relationship difficulties. Brianna argues remote and flexible work are not favors but protect productivity, and she advocates proactive workplace support, education, and community so people don’t handle bipolar alone.</p><p>00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro</p><p>00:47 Stability and Root Chakra</p><p>01:22 Bipolar Stability Routine</p><p>02:22 Redefining Normal</p><p>03:46 Yoga and Creative Coping</p><p>04:33 Bipolar Stigma Myths</p><p>05:46 Cycles Hormones Astrology</p><p>08:51 Sharing Her Story at 26</p><p>09:23 Diagnosis at 25</p><p>10:32 Screening and Medication Risks</p><p>11:58 Childhood Signs and School Support</p><p>14:58 Remote Work as Accommodation</p><p>17:51 Workplace Support Strategies</p><p>20:37 Mental Health Across Generations</p><p>25:21 Advice Find Community</p><p>27:04 Where to Follow and Closing</p>

<p>Dr. Nelva Lee on School Choice, Vocational Pathways, and Housing Solutions in Georgia</p><p>Host Amy Pons welcomes Dr. Nelva Lee—healthcare and academic leader, former board appointee, author, and Georgia Superintendent of Schools candidate—who discusses the bleak realities of healthcare and education and her focus on solutions. </p><p>Lee describes Concrete Build Financing, a crypto company backed by real estate aimed at countering private equity’s rent hikes by converting commercial multifamily properties into rent-to-own condos to promote stability, equity, and dignity. In education, she advocates expanding Georgia’s Promise Scholarship Act so more families—including homeschool and private-school families—can access broader learning environments, and she proposes every student graduate with both a diploma and a trade certificate. </p><p>She cites post-COVID learning gaps, top-heavy education budgets, low reading and math proficiency rates, and calls for basics like phonics, targeted resources, and holding back non-readers by second grade. She also critiques HOPE Scholarship “bait and switch,” urging lower maintenance requirements and a college “star system,” and encourages limiting news, cultivating hope, and volunteering.</p><p>00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro</p><p>01:13 Healthcare and Maternal Gaps</p><p>02:59 Crypto Real Estate Housing Plan</p><p>06:31 School Run and Voucher Expansion</p><p>10:36 COVID Learning Loss and Resources</p><p>15:25 Vocational Skills Over College</p><p>22:21 Hope Scholarship Reform Ideas</p><p>27:19 Hopeful Action and Volunteering</p><p>31:59 Where to Find Dr Lee</p><p>32:23 Final Thanks and Wrap Up</p><p>Find all of Dr. Nelva's work on her <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://DrNelvaLee.com">website</a> and follow along with her campaign!</p><p>Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/womenmakingmoves.bsky.social">Bluesky.</a> Visit Amy at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org/">Unlock the Magic</a>, and follow on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><em>Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.</em></p>